Raised to the Second Power
by kasugai gummie
Summary: [FujiRyo] The convenient and incoherent collective of ficlets concerning the short and even shorter. UPDATED: 030705
1. Doujinshi Circles

**Disclaimer**: Not mine. They're technically my employees, you see...

**Warning**: Most are drabble length (100-500 words) but some might duck that range and exceed by a few hundred more. FujixRyoma focus, and ideas usually based off of challenges unless otherwise noted.

**Author's Notes**: Just to show that I have not been sitting on my ass, letting my FujiRyo muses grow old and moldy, here's the beginning of a drabble collective whose main purpose is to entertain and amuse. Nothing is canon (even though the animators would like to make us think otherwise) and the things left unsaid can be interpreted any which way.

Requested on LJ by sapphira (underscore) angel, otherwise known as **Luna Crescent**;.  
Parameters as follows: "They paired me up with _who_?"

* * *

**Doujinshi Circles**  
by kasugai gummie

* * *

"What are you reading, Fuji-senpai?"

"Hmm? Ah, Echizen." The much-amused smile transferred itself smoothly from the black and white pages to the vaguely curious expression on Echizen Ryoma's face. "It's a doujinshi. Would you like to see?"

"Dou-jin-shi?"

The smile widened. "Mmn. You didn't have these in America did you?"

Large tawny eyes blinked unhurriedly. "Obviously not."

Fuji chuckled softly, patting the empty seat next to him invitingly. "A doujinshi is a fan-made comic," he explained, holding the book up so that his younger teammate could see better.

"It's very amusing actually. Although, in this particular book, I personally think the lines need to be cleaner, but Osakada said that this was her first official attempt as a circle artist anyway—"

Ryoma stared.

"—However, I think her portrayal is very accurate too, don't you think?"

Fuji paused and waited for his kouhai's reaction.

A tense silence wrapped itself around the two tennis prodigies before being broken by a strangled murmur.

"......... Fuji-senpai...."

"Yes?"

"Is that me on the cover?"

"The likeness is remarkable."

"And is the spiky-haired guy supposed to be Momo-senpai?"

"Yes."

Silence reigned once more.

".......... why's his hand up my shirt??"

Fuji snickered. "Maa...." He smiled mischievously at the shocked boy. "You really have no idea, do you?"

Ryoma shook his head mutely.

A brief flash of pity for the other boy suddenly washed over him. Corruption was a long hard process after all. Sharp blue eyes flickered from the offending image to the blatantly puzzled face of one boy wonder. Suddenly his lips twitched into a bright smile. "Has your father already told you about the boy-girl differences yet?"

Ryoma's expression immediately dropped from confused to deadpan. "Not funny, Fuji-senpai. If you're trying to explain hormones, then yes, my stupid father has already involuntarily educated me on that."

"Hmm That means that explaining the mind of a fangirl shouldn't be as difficult then."

"Eeh?!"

The tensai continued to smile sweetly at the growing suspicion on Ryoma's face. "Aesthetics is very important to young people, you know." Fuji punctuated his statements with the colorful booklet as he launched into the task of "educating" Echizen.

"And with a certain few, pretty boys are required to satisfy their tastes."

"And you know how they say that two—" Fuji frowned before correcting himself. "—or three, four, five, you get the idea, is better than one."

Ryoma continued to stare at the smiling boy.

"So when it comes to creative output, naturally they'll come up with certain romantic combinations to amuse themselves with. Same sex pairings aren't uncommon, it seems, in certain fandoms." The smile widened unnoticeably. "Actually, I've seen doujinshis where you've been paired up with Tezuka—"

"Me and BUCHOU?!"

"—Momoshirou, Kikumaru, Me—"

"They paired me with who?"

"—Sengoku, Atobe—"

Fuji continued to flip through the doujinshi's pages and rattle off names before a frantic hand suddenly snatched away his focal object. "Echizen?" He glanced at the particular page that seemed to have the younger boy complete (and horrified) attention. He beamed. "Ah! That story is one of my favorites!"

"They drew Fuji-senpai and me....." Ryoma struggled to articulate. "Oh. My. God."

"Nn." The tensai regarded his underclassman with open eyes before smirking uncontrollably. "And contrary to popular belief, that position is, in fact, possible to do." He leaned closer to his now visibly twitching teammate. "Would you like a demonstration?"

* * *

**Fin  
**Completed: 07/28/04


	2. Speaking Gestures

**Disclaimer**: See first installment.

**Warning**: See first installment.

**Author's Notes**: I'm obviously a slow writer. Drabbles are dragged out of me in a rather painful process. This was approximately 400 words over the limit, but since nobody has complained so far... well, I'm guessing that's it's forgivable? XD

Requested on LJ by meitachi, otherwise known as **Ryuuza**;.  
Parameters as follows: "Touch me and die."

* * *

**Speaking Gestures**  
by kasugai gummie

* * *

Personal contact, gestures more intimate than the pre-requisite handshake, bodily impacts...

He avoided them all, as best he could.

It wasn't something he did consciously, or even willfully. Staring apathetically at an unwanted hand on his shoulder, brushing off some random annoyance who'd gotten too close to comfort, or even taking the initiative to removing his self from that of a trespasser invading his personal space—all where merely innate mechanisms that had no ulterior drive behind them. Ryoma was just not what you'd call a touchy-feely type person.

"Our boy genius is still resisting human contact?"

"I wouldn't go so far as to say that but..." A finger reached up to adjust a pair of obscure spectacles. "His behavior is both irrational and disruptive to my data collecting processes. Highly unreasonable and extremely inefficient," Inui mumbled from behind his latest notebook, the visible portions of his forehead creased in a frown.

His companion tapped a slender finger to his cheek. "Would you mind doing me a favor if I corrected Echizen of his bad behaviors?" Fuji murmured thoughtfully, eyes trained on the lithe form beyond the green fence.

Inui slowly lowered the book from his face so that he could watch the predatory cast that slowly settled on the otherwise pleasant countenance. Only a favor, eh?

* * *

Monday was dubbed Five Feet Awareness Day.

Fuji noted amusedly as his kouhai shifted unconsciously away from his insistent presence. For the entire day, he'd been making sure to press his advance and retain a distance of no less than five feet between him and the younger boy. As expected, Ryoma had continuously moved, wandering incessantly in response to Fuji's tailing.

That was not surprising.

However, what WAS interesting was that the younger boy did not vocally object to his senpai's questionable motives to following him wherever he went.

And, unfortunately for him, that was encouraging.

* * *

Tuesday was dubbed Three Feet Awareness Day.

Ryoma frowned absently, picking up his pace and noticing that a rather persistent person still followed him through the crowded throng of tennis club members. He ducked behind the captain and skulked there, offering no explanation other than a mumbled greeting to Tezuka's questioning gaze.

"Saa."

Warning bells were clanging haphazardously in the back of his mind... But for what, he wasn't quite sure.

The resulting feeling however, was making him edgy. And god knows what Echizen Ryoma did when he was edgy.

* * *

Wednesday was dubbed Bodily Contact Day.

Blue eyes narrowed shrewdly as the distance between them closed rapidly... despite the other's concerted effort to flee. He had told the younger boy once that he was amazing. Now was probably the most appropriate time to reiterate it had not been for his little game of Touch and Freak.

The painstaking dawning of realization was slowly worming its way into Ryoma's psyche; the wary glares, the extra effort to avoid the infamous prodigy, the suspicion that hounded those burnished depths...

Fuji looked deep down inside for any spark of pity. He looked long and hard.

Finding none, he continued his little project.

* * *

Thursday was dubbed The Official Touch and Freak Day.

Made highly aware of the body heat to his left, Ryoma shivered uncomfortably. Those damn bells hadn't stopped since Tuesday and such extra annoyances always managed to bother him more effectively than others.

"Echizen."

He resisted the little voice, which he'd later refer to as the Voice of Self-Preservation, and turned to face the speaker warily.

"Aa?"

"Can you pass me my towel?"

Their fingers remained in contact for a fraction of a second, giving and taking steady warmth. However, in Echizen Ryoma terms, it was a fraction too many. He wanted to tell the other to stop touching him, maybe say something along the lines of "Touch me and die" to get his point across. He did none of that though. Instead, pulling his hand away quickly, he attempted to ignore the knowing smile that graced his senpai's face.

He failed.

Failed miserably as a matter of fact.

* * *

Friday was dubbed Invade Echizen's Personal Space Day.

And for good reason too.

The expression of "holy-shit-I'm-being-cornered" looked rather fetching on the boy, Fuji decided amicably. The vaguely traumatized visage was fairly reminiscent of the one Ryoma usually wore when things weren't going his way. Laughing silently, Seigaku's mind-game specialist proceeded to strip boy wonder of all pretenses of having what used to be the concept of "personal space."

Besides, what normal teenager in his right mind, surrounded by other normal teenagers (some better looking than others) in their rights minds, would even stand a chance of remaining untouchable in environments such as the Seigaku boy's locker room?

Not Ryoma, in any case.

* * *

Saturday was dubbed Cope a Grope Day.

And for all the best reasons.

Things had gone delightfully as planned and the results rolled in smoothly.

Coincidentally, Ryoma had given up trying to avoid Fuji's advances and even resigned himself to the other's proposals of exploring the nuances of various gestures and the meanings behind them.

He wasn't complaining much afterwards.

Not _too_ much anyway.

* * *

Sunday was the day that Fuji called in his favors.

Inui gave his options a cursory weighing before complying with Fuji's request and dialed a number that wasn't suppose to be at his disposal.

It wasn't a bad request per se—just highly unusual.

One would have never thought of Tezuka needing outside comfort.

Especially not from Hyoutei's sparkly captain.

* * *

**Fin**  
10/17/04


	3. High Standards

**Disclaimer**: See first installment.

**Warning**: See first installment.

**Author's Notes**: Small offering to the FujiRyo gods since I haven't been attending to services. Shame on me. Or something. :P By the way, can anybody notice the non-purposeful pun that somehow managed its way in here?

* * *

**High Standards**  
by kasugai gummie

* * *

"Would you ever date a girl who's not as pretty as you?"

"It doesn't matter. As long as she's good at tennis, I'd hang out with her."

"Really? You'd 'hang out' with her?"

"Sure."

"Hmm, I don't think you quite understand what I mean."

"So? I _never_ understand what you mean."

Sly smirk. "Oh? Not even when I do ­_this_?"

"...I don't know what you're talking about."

"Keep on thinking that Ryoma."

"No, reall—FUJI!!"

Innocent chuckle. "Yes?"

The sulk was made verbal. "Not in public."

"So we aren't just 'hanging out'?"

"What??"

"Well, I just figured that since I'm not so bad at tennis, that what we're doing right now can be classified as 'hanging out'. And since you implied that dating and hanging out are the exact same thing..."

"That doesn't explain anything! And that's not what I meant!!"

"Ryoma."

"What?"

"You still don't know what 'dating' means, do you?"

"Don't be stupid senpai. Of course I do."

"So would you?"

"Eh?"

"Date a girl who's not as pretty as you?"

"..... I never knew Fuji-senpai to be so shallow."

"We all have our vices."

"You're shallow."

Chuckle. "Alright, I am shallow."

Pause. "No."

"No, I'm not shallow, or no, you wouldn't date someone who's not as good looking?"

"Second one. Most definitely the second one since Fuji-senpai is obviously shallower than..."

"Than?"

"Karupin's bathtub."

"I don't mind. Karupin has an adorable bathtub. But why is that?"

"That you are shallower than my cat's pool?"

"Don't be difficult dear."

"Not funny senpai." Inquisitive look. "You really want to know?"

"Yes."

Suspicion. "You're not going to do anything weird are you?"

"Now why would I do that?"

"... It'd be embarrassing."

"Hmm? Really? For you or for her?"

Shrug. "Why should it matter? Girls are just weird. My cousin and mom all turn psycho once a month. Having to put up with that is not worth it. Period. Besides, I'm dating you now, aren't I?"

"Why, yes you are! Fancy that. Weekly tennis games and you leeching money out of me. Perfect."

"...... You know, my perverted father mistook you for a girl the first time."

"Aa, but you're not that masculine yourself Ryoma."

"... are you trying to imply that this is working out rather well?"

"Maybe."

"Even though all we ever do is play tennis and—" Glance to the ground.

Fuji reached out to tilt the other's head up and planted a whispered kiss on an unresisting mouth. "This?"

"... hmm..."

Fuji smiled indulgently and pulled his boyfriend close, running his fingers through dark locks.

After a while he stopped.

"Ryoma."

"..."

"Ryoma?"

"..... Syuusuke."

"Stop purring."

* * *

**Fin**  
Completed: 12/02/04


	4. A Different Perspective

**Disclaimer**: See first installment.

**Warning**: See first installment.

**Author's Notes**: It's been a while since I last entertained my Thrill Pair muses... but ashamed I am not. Wrote this to counter all the FujiRyo angst Wai's been churning out. Shameless Thrill Pair fluff and written from Karupin's point of view, which, despite its deceiving simplicity, is a bitch to write in.

* * *

**A Different Perspective  
**by kasugai gummie

* * *

He was aware of his intelligence, knew that he was different from his compatriots in more ways than one. And though he could never say it, he was sure that the youth with eyes so similar to his mother's, whose lap he always sought out on lazy Sunday afternoons, had something to do with his heightened awareness.

They were outside now, under the shadowed coolness of a Japanese maple, basking in the dappled shade and sunlit spots.

Karupin twitched his tail as the Boy stirred awake.

He meowed questioningly as he reached out with a soft paw and patted the other's smooth, hairless face twice. Lately he'd been sensing something that disturbed his feline senses. He could smell it, feel the chemicals brush against the ultra sensitive filaments of his whiskers...

"Nngh... Karupin?"

Twitching his ears to the sound of his Boy's voice, Karupin stiffened for only a fraction of a second before sliding under those clever, slender appendages that humans were so blessed with. But even under the pleasant ministrations, the sharp awareness didn't stop its analyzing.

Little things, big things, and sometime nothings marked the passage of time for him. The brightening and darkening of the sky were of little consequence; the curious but familiar presence of the Boy's sire even less so. But the Boy himself was his world, and the changes in the Boy marked Karupin's time.

He entwined himself around the other's bare legs, and inhaled the subtle differences in his Boy again to confirm his suspicions.

The scent was faint, but clung to the skinny frame steadily. It was unique, a little vexing in its difference from the expected, and it complicated the security of Karupin's world quite a bit.

"Mreow..."

Someone was interested in his Boy.

* * *

The sharp, sweet, and somewhat spicy scent had grown stronger as of late, overlapping, interlacing with the Boy's own special tang of citrus. There'd been less of the other smells that clung to the Boy too, natural signatures that Karupin once associated with those he'd met when he was younger and had followed his Boy in search of his wayward catnip plaything. It was as if they'd been quietly but methodically replaced by the more dominant fragrance of the unknown person's spice.

Primal intuition assured Karupin that one day he would be able to examine the owner of the overwhelming scent and determine for himself whether or not the intruder was acceptable into his world.

"Ka-Karupin? What are you—? Stop smelling me already!"

He gazed at his Boy reproachfully after being shooed away.

There was no way he'd allow someone disruptive to stay for long.

* * *

Someone had been brought back today. Someone who smelled like dried flowers and oriental spice, touched by an underlying hint of maleness.

He found that Someone sitting on his Boy's bed, cross legged and thoughtful and alone.

Blue eyes slid open to regard blue eyes.

"Hello, Karupin."

Karupin hung back cautiously, all senses on the alert. There was something Not Normal about this person, something decidedly razor-sharp and coldly aware.

This one was dangerous.

They stared at each other some more—one wary while the other was... inexplicably amused.

Low chuckle. "Saa. You're very perceptive, aren't you?"

His tail twitched at the soft, foreign voice and he watched as a pair of fair skinned hands patted the crossed legs invitingly.

Slowly he padded across the floor and onto the comforter. A pair of deceptively slender hands, ones so similar to his Boy's, reached out and deposited him onto the crossed legs before he could even protest. However, once those fingers started combing through his fur, all opposition fled.

He purred.

"There. Now that we've met, I suppose I should follow certain customs." Blue eyes glinted with amusement. "Do I have your permission to date Ryoma?"

Karupin buried himself further into the cozy nest of the Other Boy's lap. He inhaled the other's scent one more time before relaxing completely.

He was acceptable.

Soft footsteps approached the door that had been left ajar. "Have you seen Karupin? Syuu—"

Karupin opened an eye to favor his Boy with an expectant look.

"Aa. I see he's already found you."

"Like master, like pet, ne Ryoma?"

A soft snort came from the doorway. "What do you mean by that exactly?"

The fingers never ceased their steady motions as the Other Boy laughed.

"This fascination with my lap."

His Boy shrugged dismissively before crossing the room and picking him up. He yowled in protest of being removed from his newly discovered comfort but was ignored. "Your lap is very comfortable. And Karupin has very good taste."

"Is that a compliment?"

Seconds later Karupin found himself cradled against his Boy, who was sprawled across the lap he had occupied only moments earlier.

"You could say that."

* * *

**Fin  
**Completed: 03/06/05


End file.
